Society, History, Environment
Society The majority of New Zealanders are of British descent: also known as Pakeha. Other European cultures such as Scandanavian, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Greek and Dalmatian, are also represented. Many New Zealanders originate from the Pacific Islands or Asia but the largest non-European group is the Maori population. New Zealand is a sovereign state with a democratic parliamentary government based on the Westminster system. The judicial system is also based on the British model. New Zealand enjoys social and political stability and a modern social welfare system. History The first European to sight New Zealand was Abel Tasman, a Dutch explorer who saw the South Island’s West Coast in 1642. Although he never set foot on New Zealand soil, he annexed it for Holland under the name ‘Staten Landt’ – later changed to New Zealand by Dutch mapmakers. In 1769, Briton Captain James Cook was searching for a southern continent when his cabin boy sighted land near Gisborne in 1769. Cook circumnavigated and mapped the country. European migration began soon after and by 1839 there were an estimated 2,000 Europeans in New Zealand. In response to increasing lawlessness amongst settlers, the British Government decided more effective rule was required. Captain William Hobson was sent to New Zealand in 1840 as Lieutenant-Governor, charged with acquiring the sovereignty of New Zealand through a treaty with Maori Chiefs. Signed on February 6, 1840, at Waitangi in the Bay of Islands, the Treaty of Waitangi is an agreement between the British Crown and Maori, establishing British law in New Zealand while guaranteeing Maori authority over their land and culture. Although there are continuing debates about the proper interpretation of the Treaty, it is considered New Zealand’s founding document. After the signing of the Treaty numbers of British migrants increased enormously. A gold rush during the 1860s attracted even more migrants from around the world, yet Britain remained the ‘homeland’ for most settlers and much of New Zealand’s infrastructure was built on British models. Independence from Britain was formally proclaimed in 1947 and since that time New Zealand has increasingly developed its own unique culture: a mix of those that have settled the country throughout the centuries. Environment As an island nation that has only been populated by humans in relatively recent times, New Zealand is home to some extraordinary plants and animals – many of which are found nowhere else. The only native land mammals are tiny bats. A lack of predators (except birds of prey) meant that many birds became flightless. The Kakapo, for instance, is a parrot unlike any other. The heaviest parrot in the world at 4kg, it is also flightless and nocturnal. New Zealand’s national icon, the Kiwi, is also flightless and nocturnal. The unique characteristics of many native animals means they lack defenses against introduced predators. For that reason, many are rare or endangered, and efforts are underway to protect remaining populations. Economy & Industry
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‘Kiwi English’ & Maori terms
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